If you use a tripod to take macro shots, then you’ll know that getting the exact spot to position your tripod is not always easy. Additionally if you are taking an image at high magnification then getting the focus sharp can also be a problem. A useful piece of equipment for both these scenarios is a focusing rail.
A focusing rail, as it’s name might suggest is an adjustable rack that allows you to fine tune your focus on a subject. And as fine tuning is what you are trying to do it is worth getting a good quality rail that can be finely adjusted, some of the cheaper focusing rails have too coarse rails/racks to allow fine focusing and tend to jolt along. I had a cheap one originally, but due to this soon upgraded to a Velbon Super Mag Slider focusing rail, shown in the image below. In reality it was just false economics, the cheap one costing around £25 at the time, but being poorly usable (it also did not lock into position as well with my cameras and lens weight), whereas this one cost about £70, and gets me a more stable and configurable platform, and hence more acceptable shots....
Comments: 4
focusing rails allow you to move your camera forward and backwards (and side to side if you get the two axis models)
they make micro adjustments easier to achieve but are not at all a requirement of macro photography. if you do a lot of it you might feel like not having one can be very anoying but if like me you just dabble in macro photography
It depends.
If you are shooting precise 1:1 or other image to subject ratios, the only way to be sure those ratios are maintained is to preset the lens to 1:1 and then using a focusing rail, move the camera toward or away from the subject until it is in critical focus. It is also during this stage that you set your lens aperture and
focusing rails are used when one is "image stacking" - that is shoting something a number of things with the point of focus moving, then the in focus bits from each image is used to create an image with a really large depth of field and everything in focus,
to do macro work unless you wsh to image stack you dont need
You don't need a focus rail, but you'll soon see the advantage when you try to use a macro lens with extension tubes. :D
It is MUCH easier to move the whole camera backwards/forwards than making minute adjustments with the focus ring on the lens.
It very much depends on what you are trying to do.
I use a
Focusing rails are handy if you're shooting static subjects, especially when using manual focus. You spin the lens out to a point, and move the focus rails until the object is sharp. It also helps with composition, you're not trying to move a tripod 1/8" to left, you just turn the knob a few times, and you have it.
The focusing rails